Chamber music (2-8 instruments)
With electroacoustics ("tape")
Instrumentation (general)
2014
6' 00"
ensemble, narrator and electronics
ensemble, narrator and electronics
Document title Fala do Velho do Restelo ao Astronauta
Date of Composition· 2014
Instrumentation
Musical Category Chamber music (2-8 instruments)
With electroacoustics ("tape")
Instrumentation (general) ensemble, narrator and electronics
Premiere
Date 2015/Dec/15
Performer(s)
Sond'Ar-te Electric Ensemble Miguel Azguime, narrator
Pedro Neves, musical direction
Organization/Event Diz-Concerto
Venue O'culto da Ajuda
Town Lisbon
Country Portugal
Text / Lyrics
Author of the Text José Saramago
Title of Poem or Text Fala do velho do Restelo ao austronauta
Program Notes
Fala do velho do restelo ao astronauta (2014) · based on the poem by José Saramago
Fala do velho do restelo ao astronauta comes in response to Miguel Azguime’s challenge to compose a new piece for the Sond’Ar-te Electric Ensemble, based on José Saramago’s homonymous poem. I strongly identified with the poem and began to imagine many different possibilities of interaction between the narrator, the five acoustic instruments and electronic and the very stimulating text so full of oppositions.
Written in 1966, this poem by Saramago portrays a disturbing period of world history and highlights the disparities between technological development and the poor living conditions of a significant part of the population. Hunger, as a basic question of survival, is present throughout the poem. These issues remain current, although the text is almost 50 years old.
The conflicting ideas in the text (for example, poverty/wealth, hunger/abundance), influenced the decision to compose the piece based on the interaction of two opposing gestures: fast figurations, less consonants and the construction of more stable harmonies.
The collective awareness of the problem stated in Saramago’s poem is crucial, as it is essential to keep the role of art alive as a means of reflecting on the past and present, and looking forward into the future, amongst the new generations.
